Pesniary combined various types of music, but mostly Belarusian folklore though often with various rock elements and later rock as well. Several of Pesniary's songs were composed by Aleksandra Pakhmutova. The surprising influence of early Frank Zappa was also notable.[citation needed]
Biography
In 1973, the band participated in Soviet television film "This Merry Planet".
Pesniary was one of the very few Soviet bands (and possibly the first one) to tour in the United States in 1976.[citation needed] They toured the American South with folk band The New Christy Minstrels.
After Mulyavin's death in a car accident on 26 January 2003, the original Pesniary split. Five different bands claimed to be the official descendants of Pesniary, touring and performing original Pesniary songs. These are:
Belarusian State Ensemble Pesniary – a state-produced band under the Ministry of Culture of Belarus, consisting mostly of young musicians.
Belorusskie Pesniary – led by former Pesniary saxophonist Uladzislau Misevich.
Bortkevich's Pesniary – led by former Pesniary vocalist Leanid Bortkevich.
Svechkin's Pesniary – led by former administrator of Pesniary Igor Svechkin, split from Bortkevich's Pesniary in 2004.
Liavony – a band which split from Bortkevich’s Pesniary in 2008, consisted of young musicians, none of whom participated in Pesniary until 1998.
Until 2006, the Liavony-Pesniary ensemble existed under the direction of the classical line-up drummer Alexander Demeshko. The band broke up in 2006 after his death.
